"Hemingway, Ernest - Green Hills of Africa" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hemingway Ernest)

'I do not care for Lettow,' Kandisky said. 'He fought, yes. No one ever
better. When we wanted quinine he would order it captured. All supplies the
same. But afterwards he cared nothing for his men. After the war I am in
Germany. I go to see about indemnification for my property. "You are an
Austrian," they say. "You must go through Austrian channels." So I go to
Austria. "But why did you fight?" they ask me. "You cannot hold us
responsible. Suppose you go to fight in China. That is your own affair. We
cannot do anything for you."
' "But I went as a patriot," I say, very foolishly. "I fight where I
can because I am an Austrian and I know my duty." "Yes," they say. "That is
very beautiful. But you cannot hold us responsible for your noble
sentiments." So they passed me from one to the other and nothing. Still I
love the country very much. I have lost everything here but I have more than
anyone has in Europe. To me it is always interesting. The natives and the
language. I have many books of notes on them. Then too, in reality, I am a
king here. It is very pleasant. Waking in the morning I extend one foot and
the boy places the sock on it. When I am ready I extend the other foot and
he adjusts the other sock. I step from under the mosquito bar into my
drawers which are held for me. Don't you think that is very marvellous?'
'It's marvellous.'
'When you come back another time we must take a safari to study the
natives. And shoot nothing, or only to eat. Look, I will show you a dance
and sing a song.'
Crouched, elbows lifting and falling, knees humping, he shuffled around
the table, singing. Undoubtedly it was very fine.
'That is only one of a thousand,' he said. 'Now I must go for a time.
You will be sleeping.'
'There's no hurry. Stay around.'
'No. Surely you will be sleeping. I also. I will take the butter to
keep it cool.'
'We'll see you at supper,' Pop said.
'Now you must sleep. Good-bye.'
After he was gone, Pop said: 'I wouldn't believe all that about the Aga
Khan, you know.'
'It sounded pretty good.'
'Of course he feels badly,' Pop said. 'Who wouldn't. Von Lettow was a
hell of a man.'
'He's very intelligent,' my wife said. 'He talks wonderfully about the
natives. But he's bitter about American women.'
'So am I,' said Pop. 'He's a good man. You better get some shut-eye.
You'll need to start about three-thirty.'
'Have them call me.'
Molo raised the back of the tent, propping it with sticks, so the wind
blew through and I went to sleep reading, the wind coming in cool and fresh
under the heated canvas.
When I woke it was time to go. There were rain clouds in the sky and it
was very hot. They had packed some tinned fruit, a five-pound piece of roast
meat, bread, tea, a tea pot, and some tinned milk in a whisky box with four
bottles of beer. There was a canvas water bag and a ground cloth to use as a
tent. M'Cola was taking the big gun out to the car.